


Wrong Side Of The Line

by orphan_account



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Basically if Luz joined the Emperor's Coven instead of going with Eda, F/F, Gen, I also have tumblr tagging disease, I have too much time, King (The Owl House) - Freeform, The Owl House - Freeform, The characters are aged up by two years, The rest of the characters will be introduced in later chapters as well, There will be Lumity in later chapters, There's not much explained in this chapter but I'll gladly explain in the summary, Wrong Side AU, Wrong Side Of the Line AU, but also not enough, for now it's just Luz being scared
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27027181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Luz Noceda is a regular human trapped in an extraordinary world. Mixed up with wild witches and the Emperor's Coven, things can be hectic. However, if you're unsure what side to join in a war, shouldn't you join the side that's winning? So, that's what she does. For two years.Then, things are sent in motion when Belos discovers that the Owl Lady has come out of hiding.(This is an AU where Luz runs from Eda before she gets rescued and instead gets taken in by the Emperor's Coven.)
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 15
Kudos: 77





	1. A Not-So-Happy Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to formally apologize before you read this hot trash. I'm sorry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's December 8th. 
> 
> Funnily enough, it's also Luz's 16th birthday. 
> 
> She's not so happy about that, and even less so when Lilith sends a guard to get her for a "meeting".

_Beep. Beep. Beep._  
  
December 8th. 12/8.  
  
Oh, how Luz hated those numbers.  
  
One hand hit the snooze button on her alarm clock, the other coming up to brush her hair out of her eyes. She let out a sigh, rolling over in bed. She was sure Lilith would come to get her soon to begin more "training", so it was best to get up early. With a groan, she rose from the bed, patting her hair down with her hands to avoid looking like a feral animal.  
  
Slowly, Luz began making her way to a small vanity. The Coven was gracious enough to give her her own room in the Emperor's palace, but it was no mansion. She took the hairbrush, always sitting beside a jewelry box that held her earrings. Blearily, the human rubbed her eyes and began getting to work on her hair, which was unsurprisingly wild this morning. It didn't help that Lilith didn't want Luz to cut her hair. So, she silently brushed through it a few times, yanking it back into a ponytail as she had done for the past two years. Her eyes were drawn to a familiar white cloak hanging on the edge of the vanity, along with a pale mask with a striking resemblance to a bird. The girl soon put the hairbrush down, looking at the mask with disdain. It was so uncomfortable to wear. With an audible groan, she opened the jewelry box she had set the hairbrush next to, taking out her earrings.  
  
A gift from her mother. A birthday gift, more specifically.  
  
The human sniffed at the internal sentiment, putting them on with a frown. "Happy birthday to me," she mumbled with a sad smile, looking at herself in the mirror. She had her mother's eyes. Deep hazel, a swimming pool of chocolate brown. She had her mother's hair. A dark, wine-like color that usually flowed over her shoulders had it not been in a ponytail at the moment. She could have cut it if Lilith wasn't so strict. Luz scrunched up her nose at the thought of Lilith. Her mother's nose.  
  
Her eyes were drawn to a hoodie in the corner. A hoodie she had outgrown last year. She didn't know why she kept it. Maybe it was something that kept her anchored to home. That reminded her of what she had to do.  
  
She had to get home.  
  
Lilith had explained to her many times that they needed a portal to get her home. She explained it almost every day for two years. There was someone with a portal. The Owl Lady. She heard that name a lot around the palace. Mainly in whispers, or in discussions. Lilith always got quiet whenever the name was mentioned. Luz could assume that Lilith didn't like whoever this "Owl Lady" was very much. Luz wasn't sure if she liked her much either. Who was she, to hog a portal all to herself? The human scoffed at the thought.  
  
After a few moments of examining the bags beneath her eyes and stealing glances at the purple hoodie, there was an obnoxious knock at the door. Probably Lilith. Luz groaned, stalking over to open it. Could she not leave her alone for a day? Just a day. When she opened the door, however, it wasn't Lilith. It was a faceless guard. Luz raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. She wasn't in the mood for this today. The human stood at nearly a foot above this particular guard, looming over them ominously. They obviously stuttered with their words, backing up a bit.  
  
"Miss Clawthorne sent me to deliver a message," the guard, noticeably a young girl, announced. Luz nodded to acknowledge that she had heard her. Stammering, the guard continued, "She would like you to come to the throne room. That is all." With that, she scampered off, obviously intimidated by the human. Luz peered around the corner curiously, raising eyebrows. Well, that was quick. Sighing, the human wandered over to her vanity, grabbing her cloak and quickly slipping it over her head. It weighed heavy on her shoulders. Slowly, she slipped the mask over her head, frowning. It concealed most of her face, which was good. She didn't want anybody else to see her expression anyway. Since it was normal for Luz to sleep in her uniform (minus the cloak) nowadays, she had no need to change. With a scowl, she pulled her hood over her head and exited, beginning to make her way down to the throne room.  
  


The halls loomed over her as she walked. She recalled walking through these same halls with such wonder when she first came to this place, being guided by a patient Lilith who smiled as the human jumped around the room and gushed over how "fancy" everything was. Now, the walls just felt cold and far too familiar as she walked, barely stealing a glance at the many paintings on the walls. She had seen them so many times that they made her sick to look at now. They made her even sicker when she heard a passing guard whisper the date to their partner.  
  
December 8th.  
  
Happy birthday to her.  
  
Her mother had always said that the coldest of nights brought the warmest of people. That was what she told Luz whenever she would comment on how bitterly cold it was on her birthday.  
  
_"Oh, cariño, you know, it was so cold when we went to the hospital that day. Freezing cold. But, you filled my life with so much warmth when you came along, we forgot it was ever cold in the first place."_  
  
Luz hissed through her teeth at the words flooding her mind. _Not now_ , she thought.  
  
Not today.  
  
The doors of the throne room were tall and intimidating as Luz arrived. It was almost like they were mocking her height. Her very being. She seemed so inconsequential compared to them. With a sigh, she pushed them open. What waited on the other side was not what she wanted to see.  
  
There, Lilith waited with an indecipherable expression, her eyes scanning over Luz for a moment. She was looking critically, as if trying to figure something out. "Did you get her?" Luz blanked at the question, her eyes darting around. Shit, did she miss some kind of instructions? "Negative, ma'am," she mumbled back in confusion, her shoulders tensing. Lilith narrowed her eyes to slits, a cold hand reaching out to raise Luz's mask. The human willed herself not to cringe away, her mind screaming for her to move. She could feel her heart slamming against her ribcage as Lilith met her eyes. With a sigh, Lilith seemed to relax, her hand fulling snatching the mask. Luz's sense of comfort in having her face covered was gone.  
  
"That idiotic guard must have forgotten to tell you you could dress... Casually.. for this," Lilith said dismissively, quickly taking her cloak with a yank and leaving Luz feeling quite naked, even though she was fully dressed. The human girl wrapped arms around her torso as if trying to keep all of her pieces glued together, her frown turning to an expression of nervousness. She could feel a cold sweat breaking on her brow as she was led forward by Lilith, a shadowed figure sitting on the throne waiting for someone.  
  
For _her_.  
  
The figure tilted their head, tapping a single finger against the arm of the throne. The thrum of the Titan's heart behind the throne was making Luz's own heart beat faster and faster by the minute. "Ah, Lilith. You've brought me your human student, no?" That voice sent a cold chill through Luz, her legs temporarily stalling as she stumbled over her own feet. Lilith had to forcefully haul her back up, an arm effortlessly linking around Luz's and holding her up straight. Luz could feel her heart threatening to jump out of her chest at this point. "Yes, my lord. This is Miss Noceda, my human student," Lilith began, being cut off by a raised hand.  
  
The figure leaned forward, the cold, featureless mask of the Emperor being illuminated by the flames lit on either side of his throne. "I know all about her," he commented, lazily raising a hand to point in Luz's direction. The human tensed, standing up slightly straighter than before. Something about the Emperor told her that she shouldn't cross him. Lilith nodded, her eyes wide with delight. "Then you should know why she is fit for this job?" Luz turned her head at that, barely registering when the Emperor started talking.  
  
"What job? You didn't tell me about a job!"  
  
She blurted it out before she could stop herself, wincing afterwards at the sudden silence. Oh, she had really screwed up this time.  
  
"Luz, you should know not to interrupt Lord Belos. We have gone over this many times," Lilith hissed as she scolded her, pausing when Belos chuckled and raised his hand to stop her. A glowing blue orb shone through one of the eyeholes in his mask, causing a chill to run down Luz's spine, feeling as if a bucket of ice had been dumped down her shirt. She shivered, straightening her posture once again.  
  
"I like your spirit, human," Belos simply commented in an amused tone. Luz smiled slightly at that, which got her a pointed look from Lilith. Belos suddenly stood, approaching the two while growing ever larger as he got closer. "Not many have the bravery to interrupt me when I am speaking. I think you will be perfectly suited for this job." Belos let them linger on that thought for a moment before beginning to speak again. "I assume you are advanced in magic by now with Lilith as your teacher. Now, go on. Show me what you have learned."  
  
It sounded almost like a threat when he said it like that.  
  
Luz scrambled for her pockets, quickly producing a small piece of paper and a pencil. With that, she took a seat on the floor, looking quite childish if you were an outsider. With expert focus, she began drawing a symbol on it. It looked almost like a torch, but simplified. When it was finished, the girl tapped the middle of it with her pencil. The paper soon crumpled into a ball of glowing light, floating upward to Belos' eye line. He held it in his palms, scanning it with eyes that were hidden behind his mask. Luz held her breath, waiting for a reaction. "This is _most_ impressive," he mumbled with an indecipherable tone, releasing the light spell into the air and watching as it floated off.  
  
Luz was almost certain there was a grin behind his mask as he turned back to her and chuckled quietly. "Yes, you will do nicely for this. But, first, there is something that must be done. You will be given your own staff. I trust that Lilith can guide you through creating your own palisman. Correct, Lilith?"  
  
The witch didn't answer, her ear twitching. Luz came to realize that this was a sign of irritation.  
  
"Luz is a human. What good will a staff do for her? She can barely do magic without the use of paper glyphs." Lilith frowned, folding her hands together as if to excuse herself for the interjection. Meanwhile, Luz had stood, looking between Lilith and Belos. Sure, she may have turned 16 today, but she had learned from Lilith that most witches got their staffs when they were 17 or 18. She was a bit too young, right?  
  
Still, a staff would be a nice birthday gift...  
  
"I did not ask for your opinion on my choice, Lilith. You are to get the human a staff and help her craft her palisman. No more questions." Belos' eyeless gaze was threatening even when Luz wasn't the one being scolded.  
  
"Yes, my lord," Lilith mumbled meekly in reply, her head lowering. Belos turned with a swish of his cloak, his own staff suddenly in his grasp. It pulsed with a glowing red light, almost as if it could explode at any moment. Luz flinched when it flashed slightly brighter. "Now, you are to take her to craft her palisman. Otherwise, I am sure she would be happy to have yours instead," the Emperor said with a sense of wicked playfulness tainting his voice, chuckling at the wide-eyed look Lilith gave him. "O-Of course, my liege," she responded with a stutter, nodding and gulping. Luz stole a glance to Lilith. She looked terrified. Her face had gone a ghostly white, her eyes wide as saucers as a cold sweat noticeably broke on her face. Luz couldn't help but sympathize with her. "Well, hurry along. The Day of Unity is almost upon us, and the _Owl Lady_ must be dealt with before then." Belos returned to his seat on his throne, ushering them out with a wave of his hand.  
  
Lilith forcibly grabbed Luz's arm, nails digging into her sleeve while turning her away and dragging her along as they walked to the large doors of the throne room. The heartbeat of the Titan echoed behind them, but all Luz could hear was her own mind repeating two words.  
  
_Owl Lady._  
  
She couldn't help but wonder if she was really suited for this job as they exited the room, the soulless gaze of the Emperor still burning holes in the back of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I MADE LUZ'S BIRTHDAY DANA'S BIRTHDAY PLS LET ME KNOW IF SHE HAS AN OFFICIAL ONE-


	2. Carved In Stone (Or Wood)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilith and Luz set off to find a tree in order to make Luz a staff. The two don't mix well together. Meanwhile, the Owl Lady is running out of time.

Once again, the high walls of the palace were mocking the small human as she walked through them, this time accompanied by her mentor. 

Lilith. Lilith Clawthorne.

Lilith was... An interesting woman. She was the most powerful witch (beside Emperor Belos himself) that Luz knew. Perhaps that was why she took such pride in her status, as well as the students who trained under her. With raven-black hair framing her pristine features and glowing teal orbs that pierced you to your core, it was hard not to admire (or fear) her. After all, she was a spokesperson for the Emperor's Coven. Her face was on every poster in town, the bold words "Join the Emperor's Coven today!" just under her. On those posters, she looked as though her head was held up in glory, towering over those who oppose her. 

Today, she looked small. Scared. Weak.

Maybe it's the walls, Luz mused to herself. They intimidated her, too, so maybe it was the same case for Lilith. Then again, she had never seen Lilith like this before. She was usually strict and formal, teaching all of her students to the best of her ability.

Well, there was only one other student that Luz knew of. She had yet to meet this mysterious witch, whom Lilith simply referred to as "the Blight girl". The human let her mind wander as they neared the exit of the enormous palace, the familiar doors causing a small breath of relief. Finally, some fresh air. Lilith snapped her eyes to Luz when she heard the sigh, the same eyes narrowing as her brow furrowed. 

"We are only going out to find a suitable tree and craft your palisman. After that, we will be returning to the castle. Don't get any ideas," she stated with a sidelong glance at Luz, who raised her hands slightly in a display of innocence. "Yes, Miss Clawthorne," Luz mumbled back sarcastically, yelping when Lilith tugged on her arm, bringing them both to a stop. She looked mad. Luz gulped.

"This," Lilith started with a growl, her eyes narrowing to slits, "is a _very_ important mission. If you got sent off without a staff, you would be _lucky_ to come back here alive." She let that last bit sink in, her lip twitching a bit when Luz shrank back in fear. Lilith only let the human linger on her words for a bit longer, soon roughly releasing her and continuing to walk. "So, I advise take it seriously, _Miss Noceda_ ," Lilith said this as she walked, turning to give a threatening look to Luz, who nodded immediately and sped up to her mentor, hands still shaking from the encounter. They soon exited the palace, now making their way down the massive bridge that separated the palace from the rest of the Boiling Isles. It was increasingly rare for Luz to cross over this bridge during the day, though she did tend to sneak out at night when Lilith was off on a mission or some other errand. 

That never really worked out well. Luz chose not to think about it at the moment, instead letting her mind wander to the warning Lilith had given her just a few moments ago.

Lilith had said she would be lucky to get out alive if she didn't have a staff. What was stopping Lilith from killing her first if she screwed up? Luz shivered at the thought. Sure, it was nonsensical, since Emperor Belos would never allow one of his most important toy soldiers to vanish. He'd have Lilith sent to the Conformatorium, most likely. Luz was so enraptured in the concept that she zoned out for a few moments, the thoughts running through her head like water escaping a broken dam, still following after Lilith. The idea of needing a staff was prominent in her mind, though she had no idea where they were going. Tripping over tree limbs and leaves, Luz was beginning to question this task as the forest grew darker.

Still, she followed diligently, keeping the many questions she had to herself. Her mentor was unusually quiet, her staff now at her side as she had produced it from somewhere inside her cloak. With a frown, she kept walking. Luz kicked a few rocks out of her way as they came to a forest path, finally off of that massive bridge. "So, are we looking for a specific tree, or will any tree do?" Luz looked up to Lilith when she asked that question, raising her eyebrows curiously. Lilith made no comment, simply giving a grunt and continuing to walk. 

Well, she was certainly talkative today. 

Luz scowled at this, crossing her arms. She was asking obvious questions, but still, Lilith gave no answers. Frowning, Luz asked another. "Who is this 'Owl Lady' anyway? She sounds pretty weird," Luz said casually, looking to Lilith for an answer. The witch tensed at that question, her grip on her staff tightening until her knuckles were white. What was her deal today? Luz rolled her eyes and grumpily kept following her, kicking various rocks and sticks a bit harder to make her frustrations known. Lilith gave her a warning glance, narrowing her eyes. The human took this as a challenge, a smirk flickering across her face as she kicked another stone, getting a loud sigh from Lilith. "Can you please try to be serious?" Lilith scowled at Luz when the human crossed her arms again, shrugging. "Can you try to answer my questions?" The witch groaned at the question, rolling her eyes. Titan, this human was frustrating. 

"Alright."

Luz grinned in surprise, bouncing on her heels. First things first, she wanted to know where they were headed. "Where are we going?" Lilith's answer was delayed for a bit, but she eventually spoke. "We are going to find a special tree. It's said to have a significant amount of magic flowing within it, so it would be the best choice for crafting your staff and palisman," she answered exasperatedly. Luz nodded along with the explanation, her mind wandering once again.   
  
Lilith had once explained that a palisman could be any animal you felt connected with, and it would even come to life once it was crafted and bound to its owner. She had yet to see this, but she wondered if Lilith had a special bond with her palisman. It was a raven, a beautiful choice for a lifelong companion. As far as Luz knew, the raven on Lilith's staff had never moved before. It mainly just stayed put. What animal would Luz pick for her staff? She mused over this for a few moments, eventually settling on an otter. That would be suitable, right? This whole staff business was pretty confusing. Witches sure were weird.   
  
"What about this Owl Lady person? Is she mean? Would she eat me?" Still, Lilith made no attempt to answer that question. She acted as though she hadn't heard it, her grip on her staff now nearly tight enough to draw blood. Luz quickly silenced herself, frowning.  
  
Alright, so talking about that was a no-go. Noted.

The forest was getting denser now. Where the hell was this tree? It seemed like Lilith was just leading her to her demise, which she wouldn't put past her at this point. They had been walking for at least an hour, and Luz was beginning to question whether this tree actually existed or not. It was like Lilith to lead her to an invisible tree. "I still wonder if you're cut out for this job," Lilith huffed with a frown, her eyes scanning the tree line for something. Luz scowled at her mentor, crossing her arms. "I'm not stupid, Lilith. I can do it," she argued, crinkling her brows in frustration. Why did Lilith think she was incapable? She could fend for herself! She had made it on the Isles for two years mostly by herself since the Coven wasn't much help. She was an independent person. Hell, she could find this damn tree by herself if she had to. Lilith obviously wasn't looking hard enough- 

"Found it."

Luz noticeably perked up, grinning. "Really?" Quickly hopping to where Lilith was standing, she surveyed the tree line, spotting one tree that stood out from the rest. Woah. 

This particular tree had luminescent blue leaves that swayed with every slight breeze, seeming to have a mind of their own as the limbs twisted and grew up in a spiral. It lit up the entire forest with an ethereal glow as if inviting them to come forward. Luz was awestruck, her eyes glued to the tree as Lilith stood, rather unimpressed. She was noticeably tense, her cloak bunched up at her shoulders as she let out a sigh. 

"Well, have at it," the witch said flatly, pushing Luz forward. The human looked back to her in surprise, eyes widening. "You expect me to just go carve a staff? Just like that?" Luz's inquiry wasn't unjustified. It was an absurd proposition, even from Lilith. How was she even supposed to carve anything? She turned on her mentor angrily, crossing her arms and remembering Belos' words. "You're supposed to help me." Lilith scoffed, rolling her eyes. From Luz's point of view, she looked bored and uninterested in this task. Lilith was about to turn and walk off until she recalled the words that sent a chill down her spine and froze in her tracks.

_"Otherwise, I am sure she would be happy to have yours instead."_

The witch turned back with a sniff, growling through gritted teeth. It was best to just get this over with. She was already in big trouble for the whole Owl Lady situation... Silently, she began stalking towards the tree, rolling her eyes. This was so stupid. Belos didn't even trust her to capture her own sister by herself, so he was sending a kid in her place. She'd remembered the day he asked her to bring Luz before him so clearly. It wasn't exactly Luz he asked for, but it was close enough.

_  
"Lilith. Your progress with the Owl Lady is most disappointing."_

_His cold glare was enough to steal the breath from her lungs._

_"My liege, I just need a bit more time-" she tried to argue, the air being stolen from her again when she was silenced by his booming voice._

_"Silence, Lilith. You will send someone else in your place. You have a limited amount of time to find a suitable candidate. I trust that you will not disappoint me."_

_Lilith only meekly nodded, her head bowed under the cold eyes of the Emperor. He flicked his fingers impatiently, shooing her from his throne room._

  
Titan, she hated that day. 

Lilith was lost in her thoughts for a bit, so when she looked up, Luz was angrily tugging on a limb that looked like it could have been a good staff. The witch rolled her eyes again, jumping back in surprise when Luz actually pulled it down.  
  
"Haha! I got it," she announced with a grin, turning back to Lilith. The witch nodded in approval, smiling for the first time of the day. This, in turn, made Luz's grin widen, the limb still in her hands. She knew she could prove to Lilith that she was capable. The witch ruffled her hair with a nod, looking up to the massive tree in front of her. "Now, to get a chunk of wood for your palisman..."

  
  
... 

  
"Hoot, hoot! Password, please!" 

"I don't have time for that, Hooty! Open up." 

"Jeez, ok! What's got you in such a mood today, hoot, hoot?"

"They're coming."  
  
The Owl Lady slipped inside her house silently, dropping a bag onto the floor. Her sales today had dropped significantly, especially since she had been recognized and had to pack up early. With an exhausted sigh, she snapped her fingers, lighting the candles along the walls of her safe haven. A voice soon cut through her thoughts, a small creature peeking from around the corner worriedly. "Tough day, Eda?" The witch turned her gaze to her furry roommate, rolling her eyes with a nod. "Stupid coven scouts won't get off my back," she grumbled while stalking forward, groaning. They had really tested her endurance today. Or, maybe it was... No. It wasn't that. She refused to think it was that. "They're going to be back later. Ignore the screaming outside if Hooty finds them," Eda said while waving her hand dismissively, sighing. "I'm going to bed."  
  
Bed. A place where she wouldn't be bothered a place by those pesky coven scouts. It was all that was on her mind right now. "Aren't you worried that they'll get in?" The creature on the floor frowned at her, his tail thumping on the ground behind him. Eda snorted at that, stalking down the hallway slowly. "Nope. They never send anyone strong enough, anyway," she called from the doorway of her room, shrugging.  
  
Belos never sent anyone who could _really_ catch her, and Eda knew that. The charade had been going on for years. It would never change.  
  
  
  
It would never change, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUDE this chapter lowkey SUCKS im sorry writers block is SHIT
> 
> extra note: Luz is a strong, smart baby and will be portrayed as such in the next chapter (i dont wanna spoil but- shits gonna go down)


	3. Just A Kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz is sent after the Owl Lady. Alone.
> 
> It's not an easy fight, physically or mentally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There's a bit of violence in this chapter(?) There's mentions of blood and death, so if that's a trigger for you, please don't read.
> 
> (I KNOW I JUST POSTED A CHAPTER YESTERDAY IM SORRY THAT IM GOING REALLY FAST BUT I WAS SUPER BORED AND THE LAST ONE WAS MOSTLY WRITTEN BEFORE I POSTED IT ANYWAY KSFKFSFSJHKWRFSNKFS)

December 22nd. 

Fourteen days after her birthday. 

Two weeks of training for the toughest job yet. 

Luz was scared. 

She was really scared. 

The familiar white mask of the Coven covered her face, the numbness of her entire body blocking out the uncomfortable feeling of wearing it. There was nobody to accompany her this day. Emperor Belos had insisted that Lilith stay behind. With a swish of her cloak, Luz trekked forward through unfamiliar territory, the dim lighting of the moon her only companion on this mission. The knuckle-whitening grip she had around her staff was no help, fingernails digging into the wood hard enough to cause it to splinter. The carved otter at the end of it looked whimsical and silly, but she knew that this staff could cause major damage. She had seen it the day Lilith taught her two more spells to prepare her. 

_  
"Now, try and cast the spell with your staff. No glyphs. Just imagine what you want to cast and your staff will do the rest."_

_Lilith stood over her coldly, arms folded over her chest as Luz held the staff unsurely. With a clumsy wave of the wood and a determined look, Luz jabbed it forward. She was met with nothing. Lilith's jaw tightened, but she said nothing to the failed attempt except a muttered, "try again."_

_So, Luz did. Again and again. Over and over. Each time, she was presented with the same outcome. Nothing. How was she supposed to defeat this "Owl Lady" if she couldn't even cast a spell? Lilith leaned down to examine the staff, her eyes then drawn to Luz, who was in tears of frustration at this point. It wasn't fair. She should have been able to do it. "That's alright. We'll simply continue training tomorrow," Lilith said dismissively, waving her hand and shrugging._

_She sounded like she didn't care. Like she was only saying these things to Luz to keep from saying what she wanted to say._

_With a snarl, Luz slammed the stick on the ground. Hard._

_A pillar of billowing orange flames arose from the wood, swirling and engulfing the sky as Lilith cried out in confusion, her hand that had previously been on Luz's shoulder getting singed by the flame. Luz stood rigid, the staff in a tight grip, her brow furrowed in concentration. The tears of frustration had now been dried, leaving only Luz's deep chocolate eyes to be illuminated in the flame. With a small tap on the ground, the fire died down to mere sparks spilling from the end of the staff, and then there was nothing._

_Lilith was nearly five feet away now, a look of shock and horror on her face as she clutched her burned hand. Luz lowered her head, her staff falling limply at her side as she stalked over. "Sorry," she mumbled quietly, frowning. Lilith did not comment, simply removing the pressure from her burnt hand (even though it stung like a million bees at the same time) and putting the intact one on Luz's shoulder. "I think this training is proving useful," she mused with a smile. It wasn't a nice smile. Luz couldn't help but smile back, though. Useful._

  
So, there she had learned her second spell. After that outburst of power, it was a little harder for Luz to get her staff under control. The next spell she had learned was an ice spell, which went pretty well, besides the fact that she had nearly taken out Lilith with an ice spike. Still, her mentor was proud. That made Luz proud. 

She wasn't so proud right now. 

Silently, she came through to a clearing, spotting a few lights shining through the forest and illuminating her pale mask. Her breathing was shallow as she shuffled forward, only vaguely hidden by some bushes that were near the pathway that led to... 

_The Owl House_. 

She had seen it so many times in illustrations, yet somehow her breath was stolen as soon as she set eyes on it. It was beautiful. She could totally dig living here... 

_Focus, Luz! A wanted criminal lives here!_

With a shake of her head, Luz put on her best scowl, surveying the path for anyone that could have possibly seen her. There was nobody. 

Now, her task was simple. 

Wait for the Owl Lady to come out of her house. 

Luz silently made a seat on the ground, her staff lying precariously in her lap, though her hands were still gripped around it in case the Owl Lady emerged sooner than expected. 

She did. 

Luz jolted up when a silhouette appeared in the doorway. Was that the Owl Lady? She looked pretty... Short. The small creature began scampering down the pathway, seemingly having a bag clutched in its hands. That couldn't be the Owl Lady. Maybe it was working for her. As it neared Luz, the human quickly stuck out her staff, successfully tripping the small, fuzzy creature. It let out a cry of terror when Luz stood, grabbing it by the scruff of its fur. Up close, this little creature looked... Harmless. 

Luz crinkled her brow in confusion when she got a better look at it. It was small and fuzzy, looking almost like a black dog with a skull on its head. It squirmed in her grasp, growling and screaming one word. Eda.  
  
"What _are_ you," Luz mumbled in astonishment, her eyes narrowed behind her mask as she brought the creature closer to her face. It snarled and growled, trying to set itself free. "I am the King of Demons, and I demand you release me," it shouted suddenly, making Luz yelp and lean back. "You can talk?" The demon growled at her, swiping at her with tiny claws. If Luz hadn't been in fear for her life, it might have been cute. 

Their little "conversation" was soon interrupted by a shout and a door opening. Oh, crap. This was probably her pet! She was going to get pummeled for stealing someone's pet. 

  
The Owl Lady emerged from her home, her eyes scanning the tree line. She could have sworn she heard King out here screaming. With a scowl, she walked forward, her eyes narrowed in frustration. Damn it, where was he?

Then, she saw it. 

King was kicking and squirming against a coven scout, screaming her name as the scout simply stood still. 

That bastard had her roommate! 

With no warning whatsoever, she shot forward, a blazing trail of lightning in her wake as she barreled towards the scout, who shrieked (pretty girlishly) and dropped King, bringing a staff up and swinging it wildly. Eda would have laughed at that had it not collided with her head, giving a deafening crack and sending her flying backward. 

This.. could be a challenge. 

Growling, Eda stood, her gaze darkening. The scratch on the side of her face was soon trickling with blood, causing her lips to curl into a snarl.

  
  
Luz was pretty sure she was as good as dead. 

She had just whacked the Owl Lady in the head with her staff! 

She looked _pissed_. 

The human gulped, her hands shakily holding out her staff in a defensive position. The Owl Lady did the same. Curiously, Luz snuck a peek at the palisman on the end of hers. An owl. How fitting. With a shout of unbridled rage, the Owl Lady shot forward, holding her staff in a bat-like position and swinging for Luz's head. 

The girl screamed and ducked, sliding under the witch with relative ease and emerging on the other side. Before the Owl Lady could turn around, Luz bashed her over the head with her staff, wincing when the ear-splitting crack sounded. A yowl of pain came from the witch in front of her, but she wasn't slowed. Not in the slightest. With a look of pure fury, she whirled on Luz, her staff pointed right at the human's throat. Luz gulped quietly, quickly spinning her own staff to knock it away with a dull thud.

The Owl Lady wasn't expecting this, as her eyes widened in shock for a split-second before her expression turned back to pure rage. The staff simply came back to her hand when she held it out. She was now advancing on Luz with a look that could kill, a guttural growl emerging from her throat.

Shit, shit, shit. She was going to die here. 

Luz slammed her staff on the ground, a familiar pillar of flames shooting from the end. Quickly, she aimed it at the Owl Lady, wincing and hoping that witches were fireproof. A shout came from inside the fire, which made Luz's eye go wide. Oh, God. Had she killed her? No! She wasn't supposed to do that! The flames licked at her cloak, still shooting from the end of her staff as the Owl Lady shouted curses. She didn't emerge from the fire, which made Luz more than worried. Lilith had told her that the fire wouldn't do much against the Owl Lady, but what if she was wrong? What if she had killed her?

Then, a snarl erupted from the flames. 

The Owl Lady _leaped_ out of them, her staff raised over her head. The shield spell she had casted around herself disspelled swiftly as she descended, her staff still held over her head. She quickly brought it down on Luz's head, a loud crack sounding when the hard wood painfully made contact with the top of her head. It hurt, it hurt! The Owl Lady quickly swung around, sending the staff slamming into Luz's knee, a noticeably louder crack coming from somewhere, but not the staff. 

A scream of pain came from the human, who barely managed to tap her staff on the ground as she fell back. A pillar of ice shot from the ground in front of her, knocking the wind out of the Owl Lady and delaying her for a bit. Luz slowly staggered to her feet, taking in a breath and steadying her swaying body. Her knees wanted to buckle beneath her, but she charged onward, her breathing shallow as she shot towards the Owl Lady. When a staff came flying for her head, Luz quickly tapped her own on the ground, a column of ice shooting up beneath her feet and sending her nearly ten feet into the air. 

The feeling of freefalling nearly stole the air from her lungs, but Luz quickly pointed her staff at the ground, another column of ice rising to catch her just in time. With that, she jumped, raising her staff over her head with a shout.

The Owl Lady looked up in confusion, that confusion turning to surprise when Luz descended on her, the painful slam of a staff over her head nearly taking her out as Luz fell on top of her. Luz slammed her staff against the Owl Lady's as she held it up defensively, wood grinding against wood as they fought on the ground. The shooting pain of her probably broken knee made her wince, but she kept fighting. She would finish this mission.

She would prove to Lilith that she could do it. Her heart was slamming against her chest as she struggled with the Owl Lady, her staff nearly close enough to grind against the witch's chin. The witch hissed out a curse, her hands noticeably shaking as she shoved and struggled beneath Luz. She just had to get that staff out of her hands, and then she would be able to get the handcuffs on her... 

Luz paled as the sound of footsteps came from behind her. 

"Leave Eda alone, _monster_!" 

Her pet! 

The demon snarled and leaped at her, hissing and latching onto the hood of her cloak precariously. Shouting, Luz loosened her grip on her staff, swiping at her hood and trying to shake the creature free. This gave Eda enough lead to slam the staff into Luz's chest, sending the human flying into the dirt. With a scowl, Luz grabbed the furry creature on the back of her hood, flinging him off with ease. 

The hood fell in the process, which left Luz scrambling to pull it up and hide her ears as the Owl Lady shot forward, her staff swinging up and sending Luz's mask flying next, while also colliding with her chin with a dull crack. With that, she pointed the wooden owl right at Luz's face... 

Then, she gasped, her eyes widening. A look of terror settled over her as she staggered back, the color draining from her face.

"You're just a kid." 

Luz fell to the ground in pain, a small wheeze of breath escaping her as she propped herself up on her elbows. Her staff was lying just out of her reach. She looked up at Eda, ignoring the blood dripping from her lip as her breathing grew heavy. She supposed the Owl Lady, Eda, would kill her now. Surprisingly, the witch made no such movement to do so. 

She kicked the staff across the dirt, returning it to Luz's hand. The human looked up confusedly, pulling her hood up and grabbing the staff again. Did she expect her to fight more? Slowly, Luz stood, having to prop herself up on her staff to avoid collapsing from the pain in her leg. It felt broken. She hissed softly at that, inhaling deeply and allowing her eyes to wander up to Eda, who looked ashamed of herself. But, why?

Silently, the witch produced a few pieces of paper from her pockets. Healing glyphs. Luz recognized them immediately. Nearing closer to Luz, she held them out. Luz could barely muster enough strength to fight, so she simply leaned back. 

She was more than surprised when the witch pressed them to her palm, looking down. That familiar look of shame that Luz had experienced so many times before was there. Slowly, Eda raised her hand, pointing to the forest.

"Go." 

Luz was more than confused at this point. She was just... Telling her to leave? To go? She was letting her leave? 

"What?" Luz couldn't stop the question that came from her, the volume of it barely above a thunderstruck whisper. 

"I said leave. I'm not fighting a kid," Eda snapped back in reply, her staff hanging limply at her side as she grabbed King, beginning to retreat into her home. "I'm supposed to arrest you," Luz shouted back, tears springing to her eyes, though she didn't know why. "They're not going to let me come back empty-handed!" She sniffed and tried to hide the hot tears streaming down her cheeks, but she couldn't. Everything hurt, she was overwhelmed, and she had failed. That was the worst part. 

Eda slowed herself, still having her back turned to Luz. Silently, she pulled a ring off of her finger, turning and tossing it to the human, who caught it in confusion. "Tell 'em I put up one heck of a fight," Eda said with a sad smile, continuing inside. Before she completely shut the door, Luz made out a "make sure she gets out of here, Hooty" that was uttered... To the door itself? 

The wooden door soon slammed, leaving only a strangely happy owl face on the front. Luz yelped when it twirled outward, grinning at her. That had to be the weirdest thing she had ever seen. "Eda says to leave," it announced in an overly chipper voice. Luz stumbled back, shivering when the owl continued to pursue her. God, that was creepy. "I'm going, I'm going," she mumbled as she began stalking off into the woods, groaning and limping noticeably.

When paper scraped against her gloved palm, she looked down at the healing glyphs, her gaze softening. How curious of the Owl Lady to give these to her. She ignored the blood dripping from her lips, now beginning to trickle from various cuts and scrapes. It was sticky and hot. All Luz wanted to do right now was lie down and cry. Silently, she pressed a healing glyph to her cheek, a few of the cuts beginning to feel a bit better. The stabbing pain in her knee was growing sharper, causing the girl to let out a small whimper, tears falling faster now. 

Lilith was right. She wasn't cut out for this job. 

With a yelp, she tripped over a root, a wave of pain rushing through her body. Shouting curses into the night bitterly, she used her staff to prop herself back up. Silently, she continued into the forest ahead. Nobody had to know if she had lost or won.

She didn't even know that herself, honestly.

What was she now? Just a kid who had failed? 

Tears were blurring her vision again as she trekked onward.

... 

"Why did you let her get away? She could come back!" Eda ignored King's adamant protests to her decision, sitting numbly on her couch and staring at her hands. They weren't the hands of a killer, but they could have been. She could still feel the burning licks of the fire that had engulfed her. The way her entire body was sparking with invisible electricity as she shot for that scout. The way she had slammed her staff down-

She could have killed a kid. 

Silently, she put her head in her hands, the knuckle-whitening grip she had on her staff coming back to her. The entire fight came back to her in bits and pieces. The screams of pain that the scout made. The way she was ready to fight to the death. The pure tunnel vision Eda had during the entire fight. The look of fear that she had seen when the mask had been knocked off. It was all too much. With a gulp, Eda's eyes returned to her hands. 

The drops of blood staining her palms made Eda's breath catch in her chest, a wave of regret and guilt washing over her and threatening to drown her.

That scout was just a kid. The Emperor's Coven had sent a kid after her. She knew that was what had happened, but she still couldn't fathom it. A kid. She looked to be around 15 or 16. 

That was too young. 

She could have killed a kid. 

The words played on repeat in her mind for a long time, her eyes simply staring at her palms that were stained with a few drops of blood. Just a few, but far too many. 

For the first time in all of her years on the Boiling Isles, Edalyn Clawthorne broke down crying. The tears sprang to her eyes, a small sob escaping her. Then, more escaped, until she was clutching her shoulders as if to keep herself held together. King silently padded over, his gaze softening as he approached Eda. "I could have killed her, King," she choked out, her voice muffled by the hand that was clamped over her mouth. The small demon frowned, gently grabbing one of her hands with his paw. "But you didn't," he reminded her quietly. This calmed the sobs that choked through her breaths, but it didn't stop the tears streaming down her face. 

"Why would they send a kid?" The way Eda's voice cracked as she whispered that made King shiver. The demon gently embraced her arm, his eyes downcast as Eda stared numbly at her hands. 

"You're not a killer, Eda," he softly reminded her, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That doesn't change the fact that I could have been," Eda snapped in reply, her head falling into her palms again. She was dangerous. That was why the Coven wanted her locked up so bad. 

But, why send a kid? 

  
  
Eda couldn't answer that question. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! I will try to update every Thursday (though chapters may be early or late)! 
> 
> SORRY IF THIS IS SUDDEN FKNSKFDSKLSKSHGVLJ hopefully this is good? I dunno i got really excited to write a battle/fight scene sorry

**Author's Note:**

> if you read this far... I'm sorry. Thank you for reading, though! Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged. This is my first AU I've ever done, so there are probably a lot out there like it. I'm unoriginal as hell.


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